The Fire of the burning bush must have been one spectacular sight for the seasoned shepherd Moses.
Moses took off his sandals when the voice of I AM spoke and bowed before the presence of Creator God. God was displayed by a blazing Fire unquenched in a bush standing complete in green integrity. This event would initiate Moses as a lawgiver and he would now go forth with the Law of Commandments written on two stone tablets by God’s finger and execute conviction to Israel of sin and judgment.
For the next 1,500 years the Law of Commandments delivered by the Fire of God would guide and develop a nation to a point where only a remnant, Judea, exists within the Roman Empire.
Sunday, the day of Pentecost, finally arrived as foretold by the prophet Joel, (Tomorrow, May 24, is our Pentecost this year). About 120 men and women were assembled per instructions from the Resurrected Savior awaiting power that would come from on high. They were in constant prayer possibly in the same upper room where just weeks before Jesus washed their feet and communed with his last supper.
“Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (languages) as the Spirit enabled them”, Acts 2.1-4.
This event initiates these chosen ones now to become as “Lawgivers”, like Moses, except with the Law of the Holy Spirit. The Church is born through baptism and the gift of God’s Holy Spirit is poured out on all. First century members devote themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship with each other, to breaking of bread and prayer. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold their possessions and gave to anyone as they had need. They met together daily in the temple, praising God and enjoyed the favor of all the people (Acts 2.42-47). The power of Fire is seen in the thousands of responses to Jesus’ resurrection in 1st century Judea.
The Fire of the Spirit has not gone out to this day. This Fire burns and illuminates as much as men and women are willing to be controlled by the Spirit of God. Christians walk in the Spirit, abide in the Spirit, and are led by the Spirit (Gal 5.16-18). The Law of the Spirit has been on the earth now for 2015 years convicting men about sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16.8-11). May the Spirit continue to refine us by Fire (Romans 8). The Fire was not quenched for Moses, it was not quenched for the early Christians, and we are encouraged to keep the Fire burning: “Quench not the Spirit” (KJV-BRG) and “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire” (NIV) (1 Thes 5.9). The Spirit’s Fire is indeed a Miracle of the Resurrection!
(Scott Johnson is pastor of East Faulkner Church of Christ and author of the BRG Bible.)